Bhopal: Expressing helplessness in controlling illegal mining, Forest Minister Sartaj Singh said it is not possible to acquire a complete control on the illegal mining on land under the forest department.

Speaking to reporters regarding the questions raised in the state assembly, he said, “With the available resources, we are trying to prevent illegal mining in the forest area.” During the assembly session, not only Congress but BJP legislator Lalita Yadav also questioned the state government on the issue.

Lalita Yadav said, “Illegal mining is rampant in Panna and Chhatarpur forest areas. Though we are in the government, it has become necessary to control the menace. We have already complained to the local authorities and will now approach the Chief Minister and Forest Minister.”

The Forest Minister agreed that mismanagement has been ascertained on part of the forest department in implementing MNREGA in Budhni assembly constituency. He added that JCB was used in the construction work in the area and notices have been issued against the officials found to be involved in the crime. Agriculture, a loss making profession

The assembly session also witnessed debate on how to make agriculture, a profit bearing profession. Congress legislator Ram Niwas Rawat said, “The state has been facing shortage of seeds for the last six years. Then how can farming be a profitable practice?”

Rawat questioned, “There is an arrangement of 75 percent of fertilizer to be made available in the societies and 25 percent in the market. But the reality is different as societies are facing shortage of fertilizers which are available in abundance in the markets.”

“A sack of DAP worth Rs 630 is being sold to traders at Rs 1,000. The traders than add their profit and sell it to farmers at much higher rates. Also, another fertilizer worth Rs 932 is being sold at R 1100 in the market,” he informed the house.Targeting the state government, he said, “The state government blames the Centre for lack of fertilizers but on the contrary, the Centre is not provided with the requirement of the fertilizer as the state government does not even make a rough calculation of the amount needed and the fertilizer distribution system is itself faulty.”